Motor operated circuit breaker



Dec. 16, 1958 OFF INVENTOR. FQejasmcx q SaHMDT BY QBWLMQ 2%,

United States Patent MOTOR OPERATED CIRCUIT BREAKER FrederickG.Schmidt,-.Haverf0rd,-'Pa., assignor to I-T-E CincultBreaker.Company,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 23,'1955,'Serial No. 517,594 .13 Claims. (Cl. 200-92) My invention'relatesto amotor'operatedmechanism for circuit breakers, and more particularlyto a.motor operated mechanism for the operation of a circuit breaker'handle wherein the motor operated mechanism is conbreaker mechanismafter the reversible motor has moved the circuit breaker handle to anextreme position.

As will be shown, I now provide a linkage between the reversible motorand the circuit breaker handle which 1s constructed to allow automaticdisconnection between the reversible motor and the circuit breakerhandle after operation thereof to an extreme position.

In circuit breakers of the type to which my novel invention may beapplied, contacts are operatively connected to the operating handle tobe engaged and disengaged responsive to the movement of an operatinghandle to a first and second extreme position. The mechanism whichoperatively connects the operating handle and cooperating contactsusually has the following characteristics:

1) Engagement or disengagement of the contacts is effected just beforethe operating handle assumes its corresponding extreme position. Itshould be noted, however, that my novel motor operated mechanism can beapplied to circuit breakers in which the motion of the contacts eitherinto or -out of engagement is a direct function of the'motion of theoperating handle.

(2) A means is provided to maintain the contacts in the engaged ordisengaged position after they assume this position. This maintainingmeans can be embodied in devices such as over center toggle systems,latches and many others which are well known in the art.

(3) The mechanism can have trip free properties to allow separation ofthe contacts when engaged on a fault condition independently of theoperating handle position.

(4) Means are provided within the mechanism to'allow contact operationindependently of the position of operating handle which are responsiveto fault or predetermined conditions. In most cases, the operatinghandle will also be biased to assume a tripped position-upon contactoperation responsive to the fault sensing means.

(5) An extremely important feature common to most circuit breakers isthat the operating handle cannot move beyond either of its two extremepositions without breakage of either the handle, the casing upon which.the handle is mounted, the mechanism connecting the operating handle tothe contacts, or any of the associated components of the circuitbreaker.

In view of the above'properties, the motor operated mechanism of myinvention has the following features:

(1") Rotation of the reversible motor in a first 'direc* tion will causemotion of the operating "handle to a first extreme position for contactengagement of the circuit breaker'co-ntacts and rotation of'the"re'versible motor in a second direction will causemotion'of theoperating handle -to a second direction for contact disengagement."Ineach casethe rotation ofthe motor will transmit sufficient torque toovercome .the forces maintaining thecontacts inthe engaged or disengagedposi- T1011.

(2) When the circuit breaker operating handle assumes an extremeposition the motor will be automatically disconnected from the circuitbreaker operating handle. Therefore, continued rotation of the motorwillnot cause breakage 'of theoperating handle or any of the associatedparts of the circuit breaker.

(3) Upon automatic operation of' the 'circuitbreaker contacts due tofault conditions the motor mechanism can be operated to bring thecircuit breaker handle" to an extreme position to reset the operatingmechanism and then rotate in areverse'direction to reclose the circuitbreaker contacts.

However, as will be shown hereinafter,a slight structural modificationwhich is still within the principle of my invention, will allow thecircuit breakerhandle to move a 'thirdpositionor trip'position in'vie'wof the novel'type of removably connecting-means used'in-connecting thereversible motor an'd'the circuit'breaker operating handle.

"Clearly, a removable connection provides the important advantage of'a'visual indicationby'means'of the circuit breaker operating handle astowhether the circuit breaker contacts are opened, closedyor tripped-due -to predetermined conditions.

Motor operated circuit breakers and mechanism are well known'in the art,and in each case a motor having a single direction of rotation 'isconnected through "a complex oscillator'linkage to "energize theoperation of a circuit breaker handle. Since the circuit 'breakerwill.go=through anotheroperating sequence if 'the motoris allowedtocontinueirotating, elaborate-electrical circuits and brake mechanismsare required-to de-energize the motor rotationafter operation ofthecircuit breaker handle' to a desired position.

The devicesrof'the "prior art also require elaborate clutchingmechanismszto attach'the motor to the circuit breaker handle'in order toallowva' convenient means of disconnection for subsequent'manualoperation. These devices are :typically shown in United States :Patents2,192,046,."2,2'28,466 and 2,354,135.

If-a motor having '"only a unidirectional rotation is used to'betheprime mover for themotor operated circuit breaker 'operatiomthere is aninherent'need -for --a brake onthe *motor to prevent the circuit'breakerhandle or circuitbreaker casing from breakage due to the rotationalenergy in the 'motor rotor after operation of the circuit breaker'handle. A complicated electric circuit is also needed to=assuredeenergization of the motor toaprevent the continuedmotorrotationfromcausing a subsequent operation of the circuit breaker.

Clearly, if there is a failurein the'electric circuit which de-energizesthe motor'rotation, then the circuit breaker .will be reoperated whichcould cause the destruction of:the;circuit"breaker or any number ofdangerous conditions on the line being protected by the circuit breaker.Furthermore, if the complex linkage which transforms the unidirectionalrotary motion ofthe motor to-the oscillatorymotion required by thecircuitbreaker handle fails, then it would either be impossible tooperate the circuit breaker or the circuit breaker handle or casingwould be fractured.

The principle of my invention as was above noted, is to use a reversiblemotor which is removably connected, by a connecting means, to theoperating handle of the circuit breaker in such a manner to allow forcetransmission from the reversible motor to the circuit breaker handle foroperation within the two extreme positions of the circuit breakerhandle, and to automatically disconnect the reversible motor from theoperating handle after the operating handle has been moved to an extremeposition. This novel connection between the motor and circuit breakerhandle is now made possible since the rotary motion of the motor ineither direction can be linked on a simple manner to the Circuit breakerhandle to thereby operate the circuit breaker handle towards a first orsecond direction. Hence, there is no need, in view of the use of a motorwhich can rotate in two directions, to convert a unidirectional rotarymotion which is given by a motor having only one direction of rotationto the oscillatory motion which could be a straight line motion asrequired by the circuit breaker handle.

Since the operating mechanism is now disconnected from the circuitbreaker handle after motion thereof to an extreme position, thepossibility of breakage of either the circuit breaker handle or itsassociate mechanism is clearly avoided.

If desired, limit switches which would automatically de-energize themotor in response to the positioning of the circuit breaker handle in anextreme position could be provided. In view of my novel connection,however, which automatically disengages the circuit breaker handle andreversible motor after the circuit breaker handle is moved to an extremeposition, continued rotation of the reversible motor in a givendirection will merely cause engagement between the reversible motor andthe circuit breaker handle which is immediately disconnected after theyengage.

It is now clear that each of the above difliculties occurring in theprior art devices is overcome with this novel motor operated mechanism.The complex brake is abandoned in view of the disconnecting featurebetween the motor and circuit breaker operating handle after operationthereof. The complex linkages which were required to change theunidirectional motion of the motor to the oscillatory motion required bythe circuit breaker handle are now avoided.

A further simplification provided with my novel motor operated mechanismis that the connection between the reversible motor and the operatinghandle can be simple to thereby allow manual operation of the circuitbreaker after a simple disconnection of the connecting means, or toembody my principle in a manner such that the reversible motor will becompletely removed from the operating handle after operation thereof.

Clearly, this eliminates the necessity of a complex clutch as was usedin .the prior art devices to allow either manual or motor operation ofthe circuit breaker handle. This simple and inexpensive connectionbetween the motor and the circuit breaker handle provides the furtheradvantage of offering a clear visual indication of the position of thecircuit breaker handle, whereas in the more complex devices usingunidirectional motors a visual indication was often obstructed by thecomplex linkages connecting the circuit breaker handle and theunidirectional motor.

It is to be noted that invention disclosed in this application differsfrom the invention disclosed in copending application, Serial No.571,593, filed June 23, 1955, in that a distinct operative connectionbetween the motor operated mechanism and circuit breaker handle existsat all times unless physically disconnected, but this operativeconnection is so constructed as to transmit force from the motoroperated mechanism to the circuit breaker handle over the range ofmotion of the circuit breaker handle and to thereafter be a non-forcetransmitting connection. In the co-pending application, however, themotor operated mechanism is completely removed or automaticallydisconnected from the circuit breaker handle after operation thereof.

Accordingly, a primary object of my invention is to provide a motoroperated mechanism for circuit breakers wherein the motor operatedmechanism is connected to the circuit breaker handle for operationthereof and is thereafter automatically disconnected from said circuitbreaker handle.

Another object of my invention is to provide an operating mechanism forcircuit breakers which does not require a clutch, brake or complexelectrical de-energizing circuits.

Another object of my invention is to provide a motor operated mechanismfor circuit breaker handles wherein manual operation of the circuitbreaker handle is afforded without any alteration of the mechanism.

Another object of my invention is to provide a motor operated mechanismfor a circuit breaker handle such that continued rotation of the drivingmotor will not cause breakage of the circuit breaker handle or itsassociated mechanism after the circuit breaker handle is moved to anextreme position.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a a motor operatedmechanism for circuit breaker handle which will give a visual indicationof the circuit breaker handle being in a first or open position, asecond or closed position or a third or tripped position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a motor operating mechanismfor circuit breakers wherein an operative connection between the motorand the circuit breaker is capable of transmitting force only over therange of motion of the circuit breaker handle. I

Still another object of my invention is to provide a motor operatedmechanism for a circuit breaker having a simple linkage between areversible motor and the circuit breaker handle and the reversible motorto thereby afford manual operation of the circuit breaker.

Obviously the reversible motor of my invention can be replaced by aunidirectional motor wherein a reversing means such as a gear box can beinterposed between the motor and an ouput shaft such that an energizingmeans will operate the motor and also operate the reversing means toobtain a selectively reversible rotation of the motor output shaft.Accordingly, another object of my invention is to provide a motor havinga reversible output shaft for operating the operating handle of acircuit breaker.

Circuit breakers with which my invention has its greatest applicationare of the type in which the circuit breaker handle performs anessentially linear motion. Accordingly another object of my invention isto provide a motor operating mechanism for circuit breakers having anoperating handle which performs a substantially straight line motion.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent when takenin connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of my novel invention, whereinthe circuit breaker is connected to a reversible motor by means of aforce transmitting connection during operation of the circuit breakerhandle between a first and second position. This connection becomes anon-force connection after the circuit breaker handle is operated to anextreme position and the rotation of the motor in a given direction iscontinued.

Figure 2 shows a portion of the embodiment of Figure 1 wherein thereversible motor is disconnected from the circuit breaker handle topermit the manual operation Of the circuit breaker handle.

Figure 3 shows a side view of Figure 1 with the circuit breaker handlein an on position.

Figure 4 shows the embodiment of Figure 3 with the circuit breakerhandle in the off position.

Figure 5 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 with a worm gear replacing thespur gear of Figure 1.

A first embodiment of my novel invention is shown in Figures 1 through 4wherein a circuit breaker 27 having an operating handle 31 is operatedby a reversible motor 20 which drives a shaft 22 through a gear box 23and shaft 22 subsequently rotates spur gear 63. Rotation of output shaft22 by means of the motor 2t) can be selectively energized by anenergizing means shown schematically by box 2-tlcz. Box 20a would, ofcourse, contain a power source and various switching apparatus whichcould be easily designed by anyone skilled in the art. in the case ofmotor 20 being a unidirectional motor, box Zita would also contain meansto operate a reversing gear box through which shaft 22 would bereversibly rotated. Motor 20 is mounted in a position with respect tothe circuit breaker 27 by means of a mounting member 52a which issecured to a ground member 52 by means of a bolt arrangement such as 53.The mounting strap 52:: is then secured to the motor as by a fasteningmeans shown as bolts 4. The motor shaft 22, as shown in Figure 1, can bemounted for rotation Within a bearing of the member 55. Member 55 isfastened to a ground member 56 by means of a bolt arrangement 57.

It is clear that the motor 24) could have been mounted in any desirablemanner, and the mounting shown in Figure l is for illustrative purposesonly, and similarly, the mounting of shaft 22 as shown herein is forillustrative purposes only and the mounting could be accomplished in anydesirable manner.

Circuit breaker 27 has a protruding operating handle 31 which isoperatively connected toa pair of cooperable contacts within circuitbreaker by means which is now shown herein. Details of thisconstruction, however, are typically shown in U. S. Patent No.2,574,093. Although I show my novel motor operating mechanism inconjunction with a circuit breaker of this type, it will become apparentthat my motor operated mechanism can be applied to any circuit breakerhaving an operating han- Circuit breaker handle 31 as more specificallyshown in Figures 3 and 4, has a second member which is shown as thesector gear 58 pivotally mounted thereon at the pivot 59. Sector gear 58is resiliently mounted on the circuit breaker handle 31 at the pivotpoint 59 in view of the biasing springs 69 and 61 which allow thisresilien't feature. Clearly, the same result of a resilient mountingcould be obtained in many ways, such as making a connection between thecircuit breaker handle 31 and sector gear 58 through a resilient member,and the particular embodiment shown here is merely for explanatorypurposes.

The teeth 62 of sector gear 58 engage the teeth of a spur gear 63 whichis splined to the shaft 22 in such a manner as to be rotated with theshaft 22 and movable along the axis of the shaft 22. The shaft 22 isfurther provided with stop members 64 and 65 which may be fastened toshaft 22 in any manner desired to prevent motion of the stop members 64and 65 in the axial direction of the shaft 22. A spring 66 is thenpositioned concentrically about shaft 22 and forces the spur gear 23into engagement with the stop 64 to thereby be positioned to engage thesector gear teeth 62. The disengaged position is more specificaily shownin Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, by forcing spur gear 63 to move in anaxial direction along shaft 22 to compress spring 66, the spur gear 63is disengaged from the sector gear 58 to thereby allow manual operationof the circuit breaker handle 31.

The operation of the motor operating mechanism of Figure l is clearlyshown with reference to Figures 3 and 4. In Figure 3 the operatinghandle 31 is shown to be in an extreme right hand or on position. Whenit is desired to move the operating handle 31 to the extreme left or offposition of Figure 4, the motor shaft 22, which is splined to the spurgear 63 by a spline 63a is rotated in a clockwise direction. By thismeans it is clear that the spur gear 63 will engage the teeth 62 of thesector gear 58 and drive circuit breaker operating handle 31 into theposition of Figure 4.

As shown in the figures, the sector gear 58 is constructed to have justa sufiicient member of teeth 62 to prevent further motion of sector gear58 to be transmitted from the spur gear 63 once the operating handleassumes an extreme position. Hence, the circuit breaker operating handle31 is operated from an off to on position by means of the forcetransmitted from the reversible motor 29 and spur gear 63, and as soonas the extreme left hand position is achieved by the operating handle 31further force cannot be transmitted to the operating handle 31. Sincethe sector gear 58 is resiliently mounted by means of springs 60 and 61,the end teeth of the sector gear 58 will continue to engage the teeth ofthe spur gear 63 in a ratchet type of action. Hence, when it is desiredto operate the circuit breaker from the oil position of Figure 4 to theon position ofFigure 3, spur gear 63 which will now be given a counterclockwise rotation will immediately pick up the last tooth of the sectorgear 58.

in the embodiment of Figure 5, it is shown that the spur gear 63 can bereplaced by a worm gear 67 mounted on the shaft 22 of reversible motor20.

There are two variations however, which have to be made when going fromthe embodiment of Figures 1 through 4 to Figure 5. The first is that theshaft 22 will have its axis mounted in a plane which is parallel to theplane of motion of the operation handle 31, and secondly, that the motor20 may be pivotally mounted at the pivot point 68 in order to allowdisengagement between worm gear 67 and sector gear 58 for subsequentmanual operation.

In the foregoing the invention has been described solely in connectionwith specific illustrative embodiments thereof. Since many variationsand modifications of the invention will now be obvious to those skilledin the art, it is preferred to be bound not by the specific disclosuresherein contained, but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for operating a circuit breaker having an operatinghandle which is movable between a first and a second position, saidmechanism comprising a reversible motor and a connecting means, saidconnecting means being constructed to provide a force transmittingconnection between said reversible motor and said operating handle formotion of said operating handle between said first and second positions,said connecting means being constructed to move said operating handletoward said first position in response to rotation of said reversiblemotor in a first direction and to thereafter provide a non forcetransmitting connection between said reversible motor and said operatinghandle and to move said operating handle toward said second position inresponse to rotation of said reversible motor in a second direction andto thereafter provide a non force transmitting connection between saidreversible motor and said operating handle for indefinitely continuedrotation of said reversible motor in said second direction, saidconnection between said reversible motor and said operating, handlebeing constructed to be removable to allow man-- ual operation of saidoperating handle.

2. A mechanism for operating a circuit breaker having an operatinghandle which is limited to movement between a first and a second extremeposition; said mecha-- nism comprising a reversible motor having anoutput shaft which is rotatable in' a first and a second direction and,a connecting means, said connecting means being constructed to provide aforce transmitting connection be-- 7 tween said reversible motor outputshaft and said operatingh'andle for" motion of said operating handlebetween said first and second extreme position; an energizing meansconnected to said reversible motor to selectively energize rotation ofsaid reversible motor output shaft in said first or second direction;said connecting means being constructed to move said operating handletoward said first position responsive to rotation of said reversiblemotor output shaft in said first direction and to thereafter provide anon force transmitting connection between said reversible motor outputshaft and said operating handle for indefinitely continued rotation ofsaid reversible motor output shaft in said first direction and to movesaid operating handle toward said second position in response torotation of said reversible motor output shaft in said second directionand to thereafter provide a non force transmitting connection betweensaid reversible motor output shaft and said operating handle forcontinued rotation of said reversible motor output shaft in said seconddirection.

3. A mechanism for operating a circuit breaker having an operatinghandle which is movable between a first and a second extreme position,said mechanism comprising a reversible motor and connecting means forconnecting said reversible motor to said operating handle, saidreversible motor having an output shaft being rotatable in a first orsecond direction, energizing means for selectively energizing saidreversible motor for rotation of said output shaft in said first orsecond direction, said connecting means comprising a first gear meansassociated with said output shaft and a second gear means associatedwith said operating handle, said second gear means being constructed tocooperate with said first gear means, said first and second gear meansconstructed to be operatively engaged into a force transmittingconnection to move said operating handle between said first and secondpositions responsive to rotation of said reversible motor output shaftand to be operatively disengaged into a nonforce transmitting connectionwhen said operating handle assumes either of said first or second gearmeans towards operative engagement when said operating handleassumessaid first or second extreme position and said first and second gearmeans are operatively disengaged.

4. A mechanism for operating a circuit breaker having an operatinghandle which is movable between a first and a second extreme position,said mechanism comprising a reversible motor and connecting means forconnecting said reversible motor to said operating handle, saidreversible motor having an output shaft being rotatable in a first orsecond direction, energizing means for selectively energizing saidreversible motor for rotation of said output shaft in said first orsecond direction, said connecting means comprising a first gear meansassociated with said output shaft and a second gear means associatedwith said operating handle, said first and second gear means constructedto be operatively engaged to move said operating handle between saidfirst and second positions responsive to rotation of said reversiblemotor output shaft and to be operatively disengaged when said operatinghandle assumes either of said first or second positions; biasing meansconstructed to flexibly bias into non-force transmitting engagement saidfirst and second gear means when said operating handle assumes saidfirst or second extreme position and said first and second gear meansbeing disengageable to allow manual operation of said operating handle.

5. A mechanism for operating a circuit breaker having an operatinghandle which is movable between a first and a second extreme position,said mechanism comprising a reversible motor and connecting means forconnecting said reversible motor to said operating handle, saidreversible motor having an output shaft being rotatable in a first orsecond direction, energizing means for selectively energizing saidreversible motor for rotation of said output shaft in said first orsecond direction, said connecting means comprising a first gear meansassociated with said output shaft and a second gear means associatedwith said first gear means, said first and second gear means constructedto be operatively engaged to move said operating handle between saidfirst and second positions responsive to rotation of said reversiblemotor output shaft and to be operatively disengaged when said operatinghandle as sumes either of said first or second positions, said first andsecond gear means being disengageable to allow manual operation of saidoperating handle, said first gear means comprising a worm gear carriedby said reversiblemotor shaft, said second gear means comprising asector gear flexibly carried by said operating handle, said sector gearhaving a surface for engaging said worm gear over a distance long enoughto allow said operating handle to move between said first and secondextreme positions and to thereafter be flexibly biased into engagementwith said worm gear.

6. A mechanism for operating a circuit breaker having an operatinghandle which is movable between a first and a second extreme position,said mechanism comprising a reversible motor and connecting means forconnecting said reversible motor to said operating handle, saidreversible motor having an output shaft being rotatable in a first orsecond direction, energizing means for selectively energizing saidreversible motor for rotation of said out put shaft in said first orsecond direction, said connecting means comprising a first gear meansassociated with said output shaft and a second gear means associatedwith said first gear means, said first and second gear means constructed to be operatively engaged to move said operating handle betweensaid first and second positions responsive to rotation of saidreversible motor output shaft and to be operatively disengaged when saidoperating handle assumes either of said first or second positions, saidfirst and second gear means being disengageable to allow manualoperation of said operating handle, said first gear means comprising aspur gear carried by said reversible'motor shaft, said second gear meanscomprising a sector gear being flexibly carried by said operatinghandle, said sector gear having a surface for engaging said spur gearover a distance long enough to allow said operating handle to movebetween said first and second extreme positions and to thereafter beflexibly biased into engagement with said spur gear.

7. A motor operated mechanism for circuit breakers, which comprises anoperating handle, cooperable contacts, wherein said operating handle isoperatively connected to said cooperating contacts to move said contactsto the engaged position when said operating handle is moved to a firstposition and to move said contacts to the disengaged position when saidoperating handle is moved to a second position, maintaining means tomaintain said operating handle in said first position and saidcooperable contacts in said engaged position when moved thereto and tomaintain said operating handle in said second position and saidcooperable contacts disengaged when moved thereto, a trip free mechanismassociated with said cooperable contacts and a trip mechanism to allowdisengagement of said cooperable contacts in response to predeterminedconditions independently of the position of said operating handle; saidoperating mechanism comprising a reversible motor and a connectingmeans, said connecting means being constructed to provide a forcetransmitting connection between said reversible motor and said operatinghandle for motion of said operating handle between said first and secondpositions, said connecting means being constructed to move saidoperating handle into said first position and said cooperable contactsinto the engaged position in response to rotation of said reversiblemotor in a first direction and to thereafter provide a non forcetransmitting connection between said reversible motor and said operatinghandle for continued rotation of said reversible motor in said firstdirection and to move said operating handle into said second positionand saidcooperable contacts-tosaid disengaged position inresponse'to'rotation of said reversible motor in a second direction and tothereafter provide a non force transmittingconnection between saidreversible motor and said operating handle for indefinitely continuedrotation of said reversible motor in said second direction.

8. A motor operated mechanism for a circuit breaker. which comprises anoperating handle, cooperable contacts, wherein said operating handle isoperatively connected to said "cooperating contacts to move saidcontacts to the engaged position when said operating handle is moved toa first position and to move said contacts to the disengaged positionwhen said operating handle is moved to a second position, maintainingmeans to maintain said operating handle in said first position and saidcooperable contacts in said engaged position when moved thereto and tomaintain said operating handle in said second position and saidcooperable contacts disengaged when moved thereto, a trip free mechanismassociated with said cooperable contacts and a trip mechanism to allowdisengagement of said cooperable contacts in response to predeterminedconditions independently of the position of said operating handle; saidoperating mechanism comprising a motor having an output shaft which isrotatable in a first and a second direction and a connecting means, saidconnecting means being constructed to provide a force transmittingconnection between said motor output shaft and said operating handle formotion of said operating handle between said first and second positions;an energizing means connected to said motor to selectively energizerotation of said motor output shaft in said first or second direction;said connecting means being constructed to move said operating handletoward said first position responsive to rotation of said motor outputshaft in said first direction and to thereafter provide a non forcetransmitting connection between said motor output shaft and saidoperating handle for continued rotation of said motor output shaft insaid first di rection and to move said operating handle toward saidsecond position in response to rotation of said motor output shaft insaid second direction and to thereafter provide a non force transmittingconnection between said motor output shaft and said operating handle forindefinitely continued rotation of said reversible motor output shaft insaid second direction.

9. A motor operated mechanism for circuit breakers, which comprises anoperating handle, cooperable contacts, wherein said operating handle isoperatively connected to said cooperating contacts to move said contactsto the engaged position when said operating handle is moved to a firstposition and to move said contacts to the disengaged position when saidoperating handle is moved to a second position, maintaining means tomaintain said operating handle in said first position and saidcooperable contacts in said engaged position when moved thereto and tomaintain said operating handle in said second position and saidcooperable contacts disengaged when moved thereto, a trip free mechanismassociated with said cooperable contacts and a trip mechanism to allowdisengagement of said cooperable contacts in response to predeterminedconditions independently of the position of said operating handle; saidoperating mechanism comprising a reversible motor and connecting meansfor connecting said reversible motor to said operating handle, saidreversible motor having an output shaft being rotatable in a first orsecond direction, energizing means for selectively energizing saidreversible motor for rotation of said output shaft in said first orsecond direction, said connecting means comprising a first gear meansassociated with said output shaft and a second gear means associatedwith said operating handle, said first and second gear means constructedto be operatively engaged to move said operating handle between saidfirst and second positions responsive to rotation of said reversiblemotor output shaft and to be operatively disengaged when said operatinghandle assumes either of said first or second positions; biasing meansconstructed to flexibly bias into non-force transmitting engagement,said first and second gear means when said operating handle :assumessaid first or second extreme position and said first and second gearmeans are operatively disengaged, said first and second gear means beingdisengageable to allow manual operation of said operating handle.

10. A mechanism for operating a circuit breaker having an operatinghandle which is limited to movement between a first and a second extremeposition; said mechanism comprising a motor having an output shaft whichis rotatable in a first and a second direction and a connecting means,said connecting means being constructed to provide a force transmittingconnection between said motor output shaft and said operating handle formotion of said operating handle between said first and second extremeposition; an energizing means connected to said motor to selectivelyenergize rotation of said motor output shaft in said first or seconddirection; said connecting means being constructed to move saidoperating handle toward said first position responsive to rotation ofsaid motor output shaft in said first direction and to thereafterprovide a non force transmitting connection between said motor outputshaft and said operating handle for continued rotation of said motoroutput shaft in said first direction and to move said operating handletoward said second position in response to rotation of said motor outputshaft in said second direction and to thereafter provide a non forcetransmitting connection between said motor output shaft and saidoperating handle for indefinitely continued rotation of said motoroutput shaft in said second direction, and de-energizing means tode-energize energization of said reversible motor constructed to operatewhen said operating handle is moved into said first or second extremeposition.

11. A mechanism for operating a circuit breaker having an operatinghandle which is movable between a first and a second position, saidmechanism comprising a motor and a connecting means, said connectingmeans being constructed to provide a force transmitting connectionbetween said motor and said operating handle for motion of saidoperating handle between said first and second positions, saidconnecting means being constructed to move said operating handle towardsaid first position in response to rotation of said motor in a firstdirection and to thereafter provide a non force transmitting connectionbetween said motor and said operating handle for continued rotation ofsaid motor in said first direction and to move said operating handletoward said second position in response to rotation of said motor in asecond direction and to thereafter provide a non force transmittingconnection between said motor and said operating handle for indefinitelycontinued rotation of said motor in said second direction.

12. A mechanism for operating a circuit breaker having an operatinghandle which is movable between a first and a second position, saidoperating handle performing a substantially linear motion between saidfirst and second positions, said mechanism comprising a motor and aconnecting means, said connecting means being constructed to provide aforce transmitting connection be tween said motor and said operatinghandle for motion of said operating handle between said first and secondpositions, said connecting means being constructed to move saidoperating handle toward said first position in response to rotation ofsaid motor in a first direction and to thereafter provide a non forcetransmitting connection between said motor and said operating handle forcontinued rotation of said motor in a first direction and to move saidoperating handle toward said second position in response to rotation ofsaid motor in a second direction and to thereafter provide a non forcetransmitting connection between said motor and said operating handle 11Y for indefinitely continued rotation of said motor in said seconddirection.

13. A motor operated mechanism for a circuit breaker, which comprises anoperating handle, cooperable contacts, wherein said operating handle isoperatively connected to said cooperating contacts to move said contactsto the engaged position when said operating handle is moved to a firstposition and to move said contacts to the disengaged position when saidoperating handle is moved to a second position maintaining means tomaintain said operating handle in said first position and saidcooperable contacts in said engaged position when moved thereto and tomaintain said operating handle in said second position and saidcooperable contacts disengaged when moved thereto, a trip free mechanismto allow disengagement of said cooperable contacts in response topredetermined conditions independently of the position of said operatinghandle; said operating means comprising a reversible motor andconnecting means for connecting said reversible motor to said operatinghandle, said re versible motor having an output shaft being rotatable ina first or second direction, energizing means for selectively energizingsaid reversible motor for rotation of said output shaft in said first orsecond direction, said connecting means comprising a first gear meansassociated with said output shaft and a second gear means associatedwith said operating handle, said first and second gear means constructedto be operatively engaged to move said operating handle between saidfirst and second positions responsive to rotation of said reversiblemotor output shaft and'to be operatively disengaged when said operatinghandle assumes either of said first or second positions, a biasing:means constructed to flexibly bias into non force trans- .rnittmgengagement said first and second gear means when said operating handleassumes said first or second ex- "treme position and said first andsecond gear means are operatively disengaged, said first and second gearmeans being disengageable to allow manual operation of said operatinghandle, and de-energizing means to de-energize energization of saidreversible motor constructed to operate When said operating handle ismoved into said first or second extreme positions.

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